Corporal Nathan Frank Cirillo, left, stands guard at the war memorial in Ottawa with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada three days before his death. Photo: Facebook

The gunman, thought to be Michael Zehaf-Bibeau, in a photo released by Canadian media. Photo: Supplied

Shot dead: Corporal Nathan Cirillo. Photo: Instagram

Shot dead: Corporal Nathan Cirillo. Photo: Instagram

Sergeant-at-arms hailed a heroSecurity under criticism after gunman’s attackMichael Zehaf-Bibeau thought to be the gunmanParliament locked down after gunman opens fire

Three days ago, Corporal Nathan Cirillo posted a photograph on social media of himself dressed in military regalia smiling beside a fellow soldier.

“Just another day at work :),” the 24-year-old soldier, animal lover and fitness fanatic wrote beside the photograph on Instagram.

On Wednesday, the routine of his work day guarding the National War Memorial in the Canadian capital Ottawa was shattered when a gunman, dressed in dark clothing and wearing a white handkerchief over his face, approached him and fired two shots from a rifle at point-blank range.

Corporal Cirillo, who had a six-year-old son, is understood to have reached for the barrel of the gun before falling to the ground. Paramedics tried to revive him, but he died in hospital.

Tony Zobl, a witness who saw the tragedy unfold from his fourth-floor office window, said the gunman raised his arms in a display of triumph immediately after the shooting.

“It looked like the honour guard was trying to reach for the barrel of the gun,” Mr Zobl told The Canadian Press.

“The honour guard dropped to the ground and the shooter kind of raised his arms in triumph holding the rifle.”

The gunman then stormed into the nearby Parliament buildings and opened fire, before he was shot dead.

Corporal Cirillo was a reservist from the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada regiment who served in Hamilton, Ontario. His aunt told the Globe and Mail that he was training to join the Canada Border Services Agency.

He is understood to have been been taking his turn as part of the ceremonial guard watching over the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the war memorial when he was gunned down just before 10am on Wednesday, local time.

Given the role was ceremonial, he would have been carrying a gun that was not loaded, said Hamilton East-Stoney Creek MP Wayne Marston.

“My heart just sank,” Mr Marston told the Toronto Star.

“He would have been standing there with an unloaded weapon. It’s heartbreaking – a young man guarding our memorial … the symbolism.”

Corporal Cirillo was an active social media user who posted many photographs online, including of himself dressed in his military fatigues, and of his reserve unit in uniform, which he captioned a “family photo”.

Other photos show him working out in a gym, playing the guitar, and playing with his dog.

A photograph of Corporal Cirillo in full regalia standing in front of the war memorial was posted three days ago on to the Facebook page of the Argylls of Canada – 91st Canadian Highlanders.

Corporal Cirillo was part of a large family and attended Sherwood Secondary School, the Hamilton Spectator reported.

Mayor Bob Bratina told the newspaper he visited the Cirillo family’s home on Wednesday afternoon.

“It was very tearful and emotional,” Mr Bratina said.

“For me, it was experiencing a family that obviously loved Nathan – loved their son, loved their brother – that are completely shocked, as I still am.”

Mr Bratina said the Cirillo family’s home was decorated with pictures of Nathan and his two sisters.

“These are ordinary folks in an extraordinary situation trying to cope.”

A memorial Facebook page for Corporal Cirillo was set up on Wednesday, and friends and colleagues were paying tribute to him.

Whenever any media make the trip to Melbourne City’s Latrobe University campus training area, striker David Williams is always one of the first out of the changing rooms to greet them.

A lively personality with a winning grin and a word for everyone, Williams’ sunny disposition has, no doubt, helped in the first 26 years of his life. And those are the characteristics that will serve him well long after his footballing days are gone.

But the question has to be asked: is he anywhere near ruthless enough on the pitch?

Williams should be at the peak of his powers. He is blessed with pace, good technique and an unpredictability that can make him hard to match-up. But he can also disappear from games and have little or no impact. Hot and cold barely does justice to some of Williams’ performances during his time at Melbourne City, which he joined in 2011 from the wreckage of North Queensland Fury after a brief spell with Sydney FC.

Since then, he has been in and out of the team as coaches John van ‘t Schip, then John Aloisi and now van ‘t Schip again have sought to harness the undoubted potential and ability the Queenslander, one of the few indigenous players to have represented his country, possesses.

But Williams will have to step up now, given the striking problems City is facing as it prepares for life without David Villa.The Spanish World Cup winner and ex-Barcelona and Atletico Madrid star, has been a lifesaver for City in the opening two rounds of the season.

The guest player equalised against Sydney when City had dominated the first half only to fall behind to an against-the-run-of-play goal from Corey Gameiro, then levelled late in the home game against Newcastle at AAMI Park last Sunday when a shock defeat loomed.

Williams missed the first game of the season, but played against Newcastle. He was his usual industrious self and worked and ran hard. But the one good chance that fell his way – a volley from inside the penalty area right in front of Mark Birighitti – was spurned when he took the ball on the volley and fired over.

It’s not just Villa’s absence – he returns to New York after the round-four clash with Adelaide with City officials hopeful he will return to see out the remaining six games of his 10-match stint – that Williams will need to cover.

Robert Koren, the vastly experienced Slovenian captain and a former Premier League attacking midfielder, is another whose absence van ‘t Schip will feel keenly. Koren injured his calf in the lead-up to the opening round against Sydney and has not played. MRI scans earlier this week indicated the injury was worse than feared, and he could be out for a further three to four weeks.

After that, he will need to train intensely to bring him up to game readiness, so even if things went well it would be December before he was likely to pull on a City shirt and a couple of outings before he really hit match fitness.

Koren was a player van ‘t Schip had pinned his hopes on to weigh in with goals from midfield. He had been a regular scorer in the Premier League during spells with Hull City and West Bromwich Albion, and his smarts and finishing ability would surely have seem him become a threat here.

He may still do so, of course, but his injury doesn’t solve van ‘t Schip’s immediate problems nor take the pressure off Williams.

The coach could look to Mate Dugandzic as an option, but the forward is more of a wide player and creator than out-and-out attacking option. The winger has been on target 11 times in 58 appearances for City/Heart, but his goals tend to come in spurts rather than on a regular basis.

Damien Duff, the ex-Chelsea and Fulham man and former Republic of Ireland international, is an occasional, rather than regular scorer. His Premier League record suggests he might score every eight or nine games, and while the standard in the A-League is less demanding he is now 35 and plays more as a provider than a striker.

Something similar can be said of the other midfielders in the City squad. Aaron Mooy has netted some spectacular goals in his time – a fiercely struck drive from 30 metres for the Socceroos against China in the East Asian Cup last year is a particularly strong memory – but, again, they are characterised by their rarity.

Massimo Murdocca’s goals from midfield are so infrequent they are probably worth a feature on their own, while James Brown, another attacking midfielder, is hardly profligate. The 24-year-old was a regular marksman at Gold Coast United, but in 28 appearances for the Jets and a further two for City he has yet to hit the target.

City’s possession-based game and commitment to attack, plus its plethora of creative midfielders, mean the team is always likely to create opportunities. Without Villa, it desperately needs someone to take them.

Williams will never have a better chance to prove his worth. And with the Socceroos lacking firepower aside from Tim Cahill and the Asian Cup looming, there would never be a better time to take that opportunity.

Terror suspect ‘may appear in latest ISIL video’Parliament security to be ramped up after Canada shootings

Australia’s Defence Chief says international forces may have to undertake a longer-term role training Iraqi forces beyond the immediate job of stopping the Islamic State.

Appearing before a Senate hearing in Canberra on Wednesday, Air Chief Marshal Binskin said the US-led coalition could not know precisely what state the Iraqi military is in until it gets advisers and strategists into the country to more fully assess the local capabilities.

And he revealed that a major reason for the collapse of Iraqi forces in June that delivered the Islamic State – also known as ISIL – the key city of Mosul was the sheer scale and ferocity of suicide attacks that shocked even insurgency-weary Iraqi forces.

Initially, the role of foreigners – including up to 200 Australian special forces advisers – will be to station themselves in Iraqi headquarters and help them get back onto the battlefield to “and start to counterattack”, he said.

But he stressed this was a “developing strategy” and added: “Down track there’s no doubt there’ll need to be work … done in developing the Iraqi security forces in a training sense to bring them back up to be able to take them on.

“That’s all in discussion levels at the moment because the immediate threat is the ISIL and containing, disrupting, stopping them moving, stopping them being able to mass on the battlefield, to give those forces that are fighting a better than even chance of being able to take them on.”

Air Chief Marshal Binskin also revealed to the Senate hearing he’d had a 40 minute conversation with his Iraqi counterpart in Washington last week and learnt that Islamic State suicide attacks had played a key role in the militants’ sweeping victories of recent months.

“One of the things that hit them that they weren’t ready for – and which I would say to you few armies in the world would be ready for – was the tactic of suicide attacks that were employed against them,” he said.

He said his Iraqi counterpart, General Babakir Zebari, had told him how the Islamic State fighters had packed utes full of explosives and attacked checkpoints, facilities and Iraqi vehicles in wave after wave.

“He was telling me that Mosul and that area fell because the tactics being used were … having vehicles packed with (improvised explosive devices) and just driving them up against humvees, checkpoints … and just exploding themselves – it was a shock tactic.

“It had the shock effect on the forces and (the Iraqi chief) lost a lot of people and a lot of people moved into the Kurdish areas with their families and fled.”

Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop could become prime minister, a Liberal MP has told a private gathering of female ambassadors.

Sources have told Fairfax Media the Queensland Liberal MP Teresa Gambaro speculated that Ms Bishop could “one day” become Prime Minister, after criticising the number of females in Parliament as too low.

Ms Gambaro made the comments at a private function in Ms Bishop’s ministerial suite hosted on Wednesday evening for female ambassdors and high commissioners posted to Canberra.

The Foreign Minister tweeted a photograph of the event, which was attended by several female Liberal MPs including Michelle Landry and Nola Marino.

According to sources in the room, Ms Gambaro is reported to have cited former treasurer Peter Costello’s prediction that he made at Ms Bishop’s campaign launch, when he said the Member for Curtin would never be “just a bishop – certainly a cardinal and perhaps even a pope”. She then said some might speculate that Julie Bishop might “one day” become prime minister.

Ms Gambaro also lamented the poor representation of women in Australia’s Parliament, saying women had roughtly made up 10 per cent of the Parliament since Federation. Ms Gambaro is reported to have said the numbers told a “sorry tale” and the situation was “abysmal” and the Australian Parliament was hardly an “employer of choice” for women.

But she lauded the Foreign Minister’s performance in the job and described her as a “hero” for women and girls looking for role models.

The lack of female representation in the government is a sore point for the Coalition which has only one woman in cabinet – the Foreign Minister.

Recently Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s chief of staff Peta Credlin established a network for Coalition female staffers to help them “support each other”.

Mr Abbott, who Labor has accused of introducing a more generous and expensive paid parental leave scheme to appease women voters, is due to launch the network next Wednesday.

Julie Bishop will launch a Women in Media Event at the National Press Club on the same day.

Scott Penn is set to become Manly’s new chairman. Photo: Tomasz MachnikThe battle for control of Manly has been won after the Penn faction bought out Quantum in a move that will have huge ramifications on and off the field.

The Sea Eagles have been one of the most successful teams of the modern era, making 10 straight finals appearances despite a bitter divide in the boardroom. In recent years, the balance of power has rested with the Quantum alliance, which had sought to buy out the Penn faction. But after months of negotiations, the Penns have taken control after buying out Quantum in a deal which was struck on Wednesday night. It’s understood the Penns paid about $5 million to take their shareholding from 49 per cent to 87 per cent.

It’s hoped the move will finally bring peace to Brookvale, although there could be some changes to head office. The future of Manly general manager David Perry is under a cloud, while Scott Penn is expected to be chairman.

The change in ownership could also have an effect on the playing group, with several disgruntled players who were threatening to leave now more likely to stay. The futures of Anthony Watmough, Steve Matai and Brett Stewart have been clouded after the trio were enraged by the decision not to offer another senior player, Glenn Stewart, a contract extension. However, the quartet have links to the Penn alliance and may now be more likely to remain at Brookvale. Watmough was poised to join Parramatta but the latest development could thwart the move.

The Manly-Warringah Rugby League Football Club Limited retains a 13 per cent stake in the Sea Eagles. A statement from the district club said: “Whilst the Football Club does not support a single private ownership model, the Board of the Manly-Warringah Rugby League Football Club commits to working cooperatively and constructively with Penn Sport to ensure the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles maintain their strong culture and continued on-field success and looks forward to hearing Chairman Scott Penn’s vision and plan for the future of the Club.

“The Football Club will continue to uphold the rights of Football Club Members through the Preference Share which enshrines our name, logo, colours and where we play. The Preference Share was the condition upon which Football Club Members originally agreed to the privatisation of the Club.

“Finally, the Football Club places on record its thanks to Quantum for the substantial investment they have made in the Sea Eagles over many years, firstly as a sponsor and later, a co-owner. They have been a big part of the Sea Eagles’ success over several years.”

A fatal shooting in the heart of Canada’s normally quiet capital has raised questions about why the country would be a target for extremists, shaking a long-held national image of security and safety.

Large parts of central Ottawa, a city home to more than 800,000 people, were placed into lockdown after a gunman killed a soldier, identified as Corporal Nathan Cirillo, who was standing guard at the National War Memorial.

The gunman then stormed into the nearby main Parliament building, where he was brought down in a volley of gunfire.

“We all want answers, none more so than me,” said Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson.

Canada, like Australia, has a fairly low crime rate and mass shootings are a relatively rare event. This is despite Canada having a high rate of gun ownership. The low crime rate is in stark contrast to its southern neighbour, the United States, which has been plagued by mass shootings.

But the rise of Islamic State in Iraq and Syria has increased the threat of homegrown terrorism, especially from extremists launching lone wolf-style attacks, according to Greg Barton, a Monash University expert on counter-terrorism operations.

“It’s not just in Canada, it’s probably going to be happening elsewhere in the world. It may happen here,” he said of such unsophisticated terrorist plots.

“This is the sort of thing I think we’re going to be seeing a lot more of.”

Canada’s counter-terrorism police have been tracking at least 90 suspected extremists trying to travel to Syria to fight with Islamic State – a similar number to those on a watch list in Australia. And the Ottawa shooting, described as a terrorist attack by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, came three days after a 25-year-old suspected extremist was killed in Quebec after ramming a car into two Canadian armed forces members, killing one of them.

The two attacks came only weeks after Islamic State released a video that urged followers to kill people living in western nations, including Canada and Australia.

“If you can kill a disbelieving American or European … or an Australian, or a Canadian, or any other disbeliever from the disbelievers waging war, including the citizens of the countries that entered into a coalition against the Islamic State, then rely upon Allah and kill him in any manner or way however it may be,” Islamic State spokesman Abu Muhammad al-Adnani said in the video.

“Do not ask for anyone’s advice and do not seek anyone’s verdict,” he added.

Canada has joined Australia and other nations in a military coalition to battle Islamic State fighters who have taken over parts of Iraq and Syria. Canada has sent six fighter jets to take part in airstrikes against the militants.

Mr Harper, in an internationally-televised address from an undisclosed location, appeared to directly link the attack in Ottawa with the nation’s efforts in combating overseas terrorism.

“This week’s events are a grim reminder that Canada is not immune to the types of terrorist attacks we have seen elsewhere around the world,” he said.

He said the shooting would result in Canada redoubling its efforts in working with allies in fighting terrorist organisations around the world.

“They will have no safe haven,” he said.

But Professor Barton pointed out that the call to arms to kill Canadians came in the Islamic State video, which was released weeks before the nation joined in the coalition.

“It’s that network of radicalism and support that seems to be key,” he said.

“The fact they’ve got homegrown radicalisation producing foreign fighters in connection with Iraq and Syria means they would be in the frame regardless.”

He said the fourth edition of the terror group’s magazine Dabiq, released earlier this month, also called on followers to target any resident of “crusader nations” wherever they can be found, with any weapon, and without warning. Followers were told to not tell anyone about their plans, he said.

Canada’s terrorism threat level was recently raised to medium from low because of a rise in “general chatter” from radical groups, though police said there was no specific threat triggering the increase.

“It caught us by surprise,” Gilles Michaud, assistant commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) told a press conference shortly after the fatal shooting in Ottawa.

“If we had known that this was coming, we would have been able to disrupt it.”

Immigration Minister Scott Morrison has brushed aside suggestions he is engaged in a power grab to take over portfolio responsibilities from colleagues including the foreign affairs, attorney-general defence, health, justice and agriculture ministers.

Mr Morrison is overseeing the creation of the Australian Border Force, a new agency that brings together staff from the immigration and customs portfolios.

At the same time, a review of Australia’s security agencies is under way and expected to report back by the end of the year. That review has led to internal speculation that Mr Morrison could be handed additional responsibilities for counter-terrorism, or possibly take over some of the portfolio responsibilities of colleagues amid chatter about the creation of a US-style Department of Homeland Security.

However, the prospect of a Homeland Security-style agency appears to have now receded, though a more slimmed down, UK-style Home office style agency is said to be under consideration.

Ministerial colleagues of Mr Morrison contacted by Fairfax Media have confirmed on the condition of anonymity that they believe the Immigration Minister has been eyeing off other minister’s portfolio responsibilities.

One Liberal suggested that “if Mr Morrison is so worried about Sovereign Borders, maybe he should respect his own”. An ally of the Immigration Minister said, however, that disgruntled colleagues were simply jealous of his success in stopping the boats.

But on Thursday, Mr Morrison denied suggestions he had floated taking charge of agricultural bio-security, which currently resides with Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce.

“What is happening is we are working to implement the decision to establish a single border agency. There’s no question of agricultural bio-security issues being affected at all on these sort of matters,” he told the ABC’s AM program.

“The primary role that is occurring with the single border agency is merging the immigration and customs functions, which are completely within my own portfolio.”

He said it was “simply not correct” that he could potentially take powers from the defence, justice and foreign affairs portfolio, too.

“What has been discussed in the implementation of the single border agency is how we can do things seamlessly at the airports and that does not require the integration of agricultural functions into that agency. And certainly, in relation to agricultural bio-security, then of course that’s the proper domain of the Department of Agriculture.”

During question time, Labor manager of opposition business Tony Burke asked Mr Morrison to make clear “the extent to which his portfolio carries expertise relevant to the work currently performed by the departments of foreign affairs, health, defence, attorney-general, agriculture and prime minister and cabinet”. The question was ruled out of order.

But Mr Morrison indicated in answering a question from a government backbencher that the Coalition had stood resolute in the face of opposition, media and public criticism and would continue to do so.

“Success in policy is its own advocate and when it comes to border protection, success in policy has a strong advocate because it is the policies of this government that we have stood by as a united team for a decade on these issues while those opposite have fought amongst themselves.”

Mr Morrison’s robust defence came after The Australian Financial Review on Wednesday revealed a tussle had been under way since May between Mr Morrison and Mr Joyce over responsibility for bio-security.

That prompted Mr Joyce to argue in question time that government departments, including his and that of Health Minster Peter Dutton, had to work as seamlessly possible together and “we are already doing that”.

Speaking at the end of question time, he labelled an ABC report that suggested he had pushed for his Operations Sovereign Borders team to take charge of Australia’s response to the Ebola crisis as “completely and utterly false”.

FORMER Newcastle lord mayor Jeff McCloy and wife Tracey are seeking offers over $2million for their house on The Hill.

The circa 1880 Egmont House at 122 Church Street is listed through PRDnationwide Newcastle and Lake Macquarie managing director Mark Kentwell.

Mr Kentwell said the McCloys had decided to cut ties with the property.

‘‘Now that Jeff is no longer serving as mayor, the couple has no need for such a significant inner-city residence,’’ he said.

‘‘They have decided to carry out some light alterations and improvements and place it on the market at a price guide that should see an immediate response.’’

The McCloys bought the house in 2008 and engaged Suters Architects and Graph Building to design and complete a significant renovation of the property.

The tri-level, six-bedroom house has a lift, gym and home office, and panoramic harbour, beach and ocean views.

Australian Property Monitors data shows the property was on the market earlier this year with Walkom Real Estate for $2.6million.

Mr Kentwell said the revised pricing represented ‘‘extremely good value’’.

LAKESIDE: This side of 353 Coal Point Road, Coal Point, looks out over the lake.

COAL POINT has worked its magic on the Abbott family over the past three years.

Anthony and Rebecca Abbott have recently bought their second home in the suburb – on the waterfront – and as a result are selling their first one, a stunning executive home on Coal Point Road.

The couple moved from Sydney to Newcastle because of Anthony’s work as a commissioning engineer with Downer Rail.

‘‘We fell in love with the area of Coal Point and all it has to offer the family through quality of living, and we decided to stay here to raise our family rather than return to Sydney,’’ Rebecca Abbott said.

They love the house too, particularly the connection between the inside and the natural surrounds. Built on an elevated position, the extensive glass across the lake side of the home seamlessly joins the inside and out while maintaining privacy.

The four-bedroom, three-bathroom house is spread over two levels, with a magnificent 75-square-metre Merbau timber deck with an eight-person built-in spa, a level backyard and a double garage plus two-vehicle undercover storage for boat or caravan.

On a 1019-square-metre block of land and constructed with a steel frame, the property is listed through LJ Hooker Toronto agent Mark Campbell. It will go to auction on Thursday, November 13 at LJ Hooker Toronto at 6pm and will be open today from 12.30pm to 1pm.

Bidding is expected to start at $700,000.

ISLINGTON property continues to sell well.

Harper Property director and licensee Neil Harper and his wife, Rea, have sold their renovated miner’s cottage after two weeks on the market.

Ryan Nichols negotiated the $654,000 sale price for the cute three-bedroom, two-bathroom property with an architecturally designed double-storey granny flat.

Mr Nichols said he had well over 100 inquiries for the property at 27 Morgan Street.

A stone’s throw from Islington Park and in a quiet cul-de-sac on the Maryville side of Islington, the house also has a wide rear lane providing access to the carport and granny flat.

BRICK AND TILE BEAUTIES: Five of these homes will be ready for sale at 15 Peppercorn Crescent, Fletcher, by December.

FIVE Fletcher properties that havebeen built by Huxley Homes will go to market next month.

Graham and Brian Huxley were the founders and owners until 2003 of Huxley Homes, which over a 35-year period was responsible for the construction of more than 30,000 houses.

The five homes are being marketed through Chad Dunn of Century 21 Novocastrian at Wallsend, who said they are ideal for anyone who doesn’t want to go through the process of building.

They consist of brick and tile single-level homes ranging between seven and 12years of age, that have been renovated with new carpets, fresh paint and landscaped yards.

Mr Dunn said each will be ready to move into before Christmas and is calling for buyers looking in the mid- $400,000s to $500,000s to register their interest.

‘‘The homes will feel like they are new except for the fact that they are in an established street and among lovely established landscaping,’’ he said.

“Two of the homes have side access to park a boat or caravan off the street – perfect for the growing grey nomads group.’’

Correction

LAST week we published the story of happy Tingira Heights vendors Jack and Pat Lonsdale selling quickly through Daryl Johnson. We reported Mr Johnson works for Ray White Newcastle. This is incorrect, he is with Ray White Hamilton.

A two-year-old girl who died when the car her mother was driving collided with a street sweeper may have survived if her car seat was properly installed.

Layal Tahan, 2, and her grandmother Imtissal Alahmad, 57, were killed on December 21, 2011, when the Toyota Prado four-wheel-drive being driven by Hana Tahan crashed into the back of the sweeper on Wallgrove Road, Eastern Creek.

The family was on their way home from celebrating Ms Tahan’s 28th birthday at Mrs Alahmad’s Rooty Hill house.

Ms Tahan, a mother of five, was badly injured in the crash and her four-year-old daughter, known as AT for legal reasons, has been left with severe and permanent injuries.

On Thursday, Deputy Coroner Hugh Dillon handed down findings following an inquest into the deaths of Layal and Mrs Alahmad held at the Coroner’s Court in Glebe in July and earlier this month.

Mr Dillon said the crash probably occurred because Ms Tahan and a driver travelling alongside her at much the same speed, Taelase Aukuso, were not paying adequate attention.

The sweeper straddled the breakdown lane and lane one, moving at very slow speed as it collected rubbish from gutters. An escort car lit up with orange safety signs directing traffic out of lane one followed about 70 or 80 metres behind.

As she approached the sweeper, Ms Tahan manouevred from lane one into the adjacent lane without looking right.

She collided with Mr Aukuso’s red Ford Falcon and careered back into the sweeper.

Mr Aukuso was not hurt in the crash

During the inquest, road safety engineer Michael Griffiths said Layal’s death might have been prevented if her forward-facing child restraint seat was installed in line with Australian road rules.

Mr Griffiths said the seat was designed to be tethered at the top and secured with a seatbelt at its base.

However, only the seatbelt was attached to the Layal’s seat, and not the top tether, and when the crash occurred, the seat pitched forward, causing her to hit her head and resulting in a fatal brain injury.

Mr Griffiths also found that the shoulder straps of the in-built harness had been incorrectly adjusted for Layal.

The state government has established a network of about 300 fitting stations, an initiative that has been copied in other states and overseas.

Mr Dillon accepted the evidence of both Ms Tahan and Mr Aukuso that they were unaware of each other until they collided.

“Accident statistics demonstrate that far more collisions come about as a result of inattention or lack of situational awareness than from deliberate violation of the rules against dangerous driving,” Mr Dillon said.

“It is terribly tragic that such a small mistake has had such grave consequences.”

The coroner did not refer the matter to the Director of Public Prosecutions for consideration

Newcrest Mining told a proxy adviser it was engaged in a bidding war for Sandeep Biswas’ services prior to hiring the former Rio Tinto man as its managing director, according to a report by advisory firm Ownership Matters.

The explanation was reportedly provided by Newcrest in response to further questioning by Ownership Matters over why the gold miner decided to pay Mr Biswas a remuneration package that is in some ways more generous than those given to the bosses of BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto.

Ownership Matters has joined ISS Governance and CGI Glass Lewis in taking exception to the remuneration package on offer to Mr Biswas, who joined Newcrest earlier this year and became managing director on July 4.

Mr Biswas can earn up to $10.35 million a year if all aspects of his remuneration package are paid out in full, under a structure that is 62 per cent more generous than that offered to his predecessor, Greg Robinson.

Like ISS, Ownership Matters believes shareholders should reject the remuneration report that Newcrest hopes to have approved at the company’s annual general meeting on October 31. CGI Glass Lewis has recommended that shareholders should adopt the remuneration report.

Ownership Matters estimates the remuneration structure will allow Mr Biswas to earn an annual bonus of up to $4.6 million each year, all of which would be in cash.

The bosses of BHP and Rio cannot earn a bonus that large no matter how well they perform, and any bonus they do earn would require partial payment in equity.

“A cash annual bonus potential of this size is not appropriate given the volatility of Newcrest’s earnings, given its exposure to the gold price and the capital intensive nature of its operations,” Ownership Matters said in a note to Newcrest shareholders.

Mr Biswas will also earn a bigger base salary than the bosses of BHP and Rio. However, the maximum potential of his package remains lower than the maximum potential of his Rio and BHP counterparts.

Newcrest has previously said the generous package afforded to Mr Biswas was designed to drive improvement and high performance.

“The total package was determined with reference to the market at the time to attract a person of the CEO’s operational calibre and experience,” a spokesperson for Newcrest chairman Peter Hay said last week.

But Ownership Matters said it was told by Newcrest that Mr Biswas had two other job opportunities when he was hired, and the gold miner was duly forced to “set the CEO’s package at the upper end of their target range”.

“The company had found itself in a ‘bidding war’ where if they wanted Biswas as their CEO they were forced to pay a sufficient amount to attract him to join the group,” Ownership Matters said.

More than 12 per cent of Newcrest shareholders rejected the remuneration report last year, and several top-20 shareholders are understood to be considering a vote against the structure this year.

Two of the three major proxy advisors have recommended that shareholders reject Richard Knight’s bid for re-election to the Newcrest board, while one out of the three advisors have recommended that Lady Winifred Kamit’s re-election should be opposed.